326 RALLID.-E. 



THE COMMON WATERHEN. 



Common Gallinule; Moorhen. 



Gallinula chloropus, Linn, (sp.) 

 Fulica „ „ 



Is abundant throughout Ireland, and permanently re- 

 sident. 



Theee is not anything peculiar respecting this species to be 

 brought forward in the case of migratory birds, or wlrich might 

 not be said of it in any country. It is equally common in Ire- 

 land, Great Britain, and the Continent of Europe. The in- 

 teresting operations connected with its nest have been pleasingly 

 treated of by Mr. Selby* and others; but a few additional 

 instances of the bird's intelligence may be selected from notes 

 in my possession. It may, however, first be observed, that the 

 waterhen visits uninvited, and eventually takes up its abode at 

 localities where protection is afforded : — its tameness, handsome 

 appearance, and lively motions combined, render the bird every- 

 where very attractive. To Wolfhill, near Belfast, where I spent 

 many summers, it thus came, increased rapidly in numbers, and 

 was to be seen tame as any poultry ; — coming within a pace of where 

 one stood. Little troops of them were partial to the stable-yard, 

 in which they fed with the fowl, and so many as fourteen would 

 often appear at the same time. A dozen might be reckoned 

 roosting on a single bush in the autumn : though the pond they 

 frequented was surrounded by trees and shrubs. A bird would 

 sometimes remain perched on one foot for the night (or so late 

 as any person was out of doors to observe it), on the top of a large 

 stone in the pond. At this place, a pair once seemed even to 

 prefer the vicinity of man in selecting a site for their nest, which 

 was built in a heap of stones within a few paces of where 



* Illusi. Brit. Orn. vol. ii. p. 188, and Berwickshire Naturalists' Club Proceed- 

 ings, p. 84. 



